Now, this is something truly marvelous! The "GO-TO-BED" match holders are a subset of VESTA match holders, as there is a small hole to put the match in after it is lit, and it will provide just enough light to get to bed and get the covers put on before it self-extinguishes. Wikipedia refers to novelty shapes made from brass, silverplated brass, sterling, wood, and sometimes ivory. This one is pressed glass. The striker is on the bottom. While I don't have any Vesta matches, these small pocket wooden matches are pretty close to original usage size. The piece is 3 1/2" tall, 2" wide at the base, and the depth of the well is 1 3/4". The striker is on the bottom, and is simply a rough-ground slightly concave surface. I have seen a couple that were more ornate and cut glass, but have never seen a pressed version before.

There is a small hole on the flat top of the finial. This treasure is now in my personal collection! These are 1860-1880 time period. I am thinking strongly that this is an English piece, but could possibly be European. Anyone ever stumble across this piece in an old catalog?

Hello Dave - I've been through both of Barrie Skelcher's uranium books, and nothing there, and can't find any reference in any of my books on pressed glass - so think you must have something quite rare, and very nice. I would think your suggestion of a date is a pretty good match

Paul S. Between the time I wrote this posting last night and your posting today, I got a page emailed to me from Denis Alston's book ("Match Holders: One Hundred Years of Ingenuity" by Denis Alsford). Figure 601 in that book shows a very similar version, also pressed glass, registered design by Percival, Vickers & Co, for 1847. It may even be a bit older than I thought! To find one in yellow uranium is pretty much the definition of 'unique', and it is in perfect shape too! I don't think it was ever used, and to still have the lid with it? Wowzer!

er Dave.........just a point please..........In view of the importance of this peice, I think we ought to refer this matter to the Board of Export of Antiquities - we might need to get the UK public to raise sufficient money to buy this for the nation. Congrats. well done.

Paul: I bought it from a US buyer....so it was not 'pilfered' in person! LOL. And...the price just went up!Actually, I am going to do an article about it for our Vaseline Glass club, and then it will sit here for a few years until I get tired of it. It was advertised on ebay as a 'trinket pot'. There were others that knew what it was, but I stomped them by 100% over their highest bid. When I bought it, I did not know what it was, but I knew it was special. When it comes to a vaseline glass piece, If I haven't seen it before (15 years of collecting and researching), I know it is something special. It took me about 48 hours after getting it in my hands and I had networked enough with others to find out what it really was. A person who has an extensive collection of GO TO BED match holders has a couple of cut green uranium pieces, and a collector in Texas (when I sent him a pic after I knew what it was), he said, "OH, so THAT IS WHAT THAT IS!" and he has a cut vaseline glass version. No one I have talked to has had or seen a pressed vaseline glass GO TO BED before.